1. Field of the Invention
The present invention discloses a void filler foam barrier which prevents leakage and ignition of fuel caused by ground fire piercing aircraft fuel tanks.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A previous method discloses a metallic tank having an inner and outer shell, the space between the two shells being filled with talc-coated rubber granules, which are installed under pressure and designed to expand and fill any holes caused by a projectile penetrating the shell.
Another previous method relates to a means for closing punctures in a fuel container by expansion of rubber sheets which cover the container and expand when subjected to wetting by hydrocarbons.
And, another previous method embodies a metal fuel tank covered with an elastomeric material having sufficient resiliency to stretch and thereby permit passage of a projectile therethrough and then contract to its original dimension to substantially seal the opening made by the projectile. Still another embodiment of the previous method includes a fuel activated layer of uncured or partially cured rubber operating in combination with the elastomeric material to completely seal punctures in fuel tanks.
And yet another previous method discloses a fuel expandable material such as rubber or latex located between outer plies of fluid impervious material; the plies being held together by stitches limiting the degree of relative movement of the outer plies when the expandable material swells.
Finally another previous method reduces the vulnerability of fuel tanks to structural damage by attenuating shock wave effects resulting from penetration of fuel tanks by projectiles. This previous method uses a crushable rigid foam liner located adjacent the inside surface of the fuel tank in order to absorb shock waves.